Improved apparatus for aging spirits



4IEurvnv'l OFFICE.

P. M. PAPIN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR :AGING SPIRITS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 90,120, dated May 18,1869.

To all whom it mail concern.:

Be it known that I, P. M. PAPIN, of St. Louis, in the county of St.Louis and State of Missouri, have made certain new and usefulImprovements in Processes for Purifying and Aging Liquors; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full and correct account thereof,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters ofreference m arked thereon.

The object of this invention is to purify the alcohol liquors, andespecially to expedite and intensify the fermentation or other actionwhich is needed to cause the disappearance of fusel and like poisonousoils, and the formation of the essential oils characterizing old andsmooth liquors. In the achievement of said object the nature of thisinvention is in the formation of currents of fluid, and in theintroduction of aircurrents, said currents being under-proper heat andpassing in contact and commingled with each other, in order that thusthe oxygenizing.

inliuence of the air may be fully and speedily7 exerted to effect thepurposes of purification and aging.

. To enable those herein skilled to make andv use my said invention, Iwill now more fully y describe the same, referring to the accompany-Iligure 1 as a sectional elevation, and to Fig. 2 as a top plan, showingthecover of the vessel here used partly removed.

In the ordinary and usual application of my said invention, I employ aclosed vessel or tank, A, into which the liquors are placed, the vesselbeing charged by any valve or pipe, in the manner usual. Said vessel hasa depending diaphragm, B, connected to the cover A', usually concentricin form to the circumference of the vessel A, and extending nearly tothe bottom of said vessel. Within the diaphragm B, I suspend from thecover Al the vessel C by suitable han ger rods or bars. Said vessel hasa top, C', and its sides are perforated at-E. It extends down to thesame or gleater depth in the vessel A as the diaphragm B.

There 1s thus inclosed in the vessel C the space D, between said vesseland the diaphragm B the space Dl, and between the diaphragm-B vand thevessel A thespace D2.

For purposes of creating a fluid current I use a heating-coil, E,arranged within the vessel O. In said coil steamer heated air may beused to convey the heat to the liquor. Said coil has proper stop-cocksor valves arranged for regulating the iiow of steam or air in the same,in the usual manner.

In order to pass air into the liquor I arrange the air-duct F, passingdown the center of the vessel O, and ending in a distributing-head,f,which is perforated to allow the air to distribute itself equitably inthe liquor. Said duct is also arranged with proper valves or stopcocksto regulate the flow of air.-

Out of the space DZ the spent air escapes, with such vapors as may beextracted from the liquor, through the discharge-pipe G; and to save thevaluable parts of the vapors thus able condensing-vessel.

Tlie action of the said parts is now as follows: Liquor being chargedinto the vessel A, say to a height indicated by the line y, and beingjust above the perforations c in the vessel O, then, by the action ofthe heating-coil E, the iiuid, beingv gradually heated, rises up in thevessel (l and flows through the perforalarly, the air, flowing out atthe discharginghead f, rises with the ascending liquid, and, remainingin contact therewith, passes through down the space D1, and finally,rising in the space D2, nds a discharge by the pipeG.

It is thus plain that the currents of liquor and air are kept incontact, and without undue agitation to prevent chemical action theoxygenizing influence of the air is exerted.

By increasing the number of diaphragme B while in contact may be greatlyincreased.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim is- Ihecombination of the air-duct F, with its perforations and head f, coil E,vessel C,witl1 perforated cover C', spaces D, D, and D2, diaphragm B,with vessel A, and pipe Gr, con structed and arranged to operatesubstantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

In witness of said invention I have here-` unto set my hand.

I?. M. PAPIN.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM W. HERTHEL, GEO. P. HERTHEL, J r.

escaping said pipe may connect with a suitv tions e, descending in thespace D; and, simithe vperforations c, and follows in the lmotion andvessels O the travel of the said currentsv

